White Mare Sodashi Seeks Repeat in Victoria Mile

Sodashi , the pure white mare who has captured Japanese racing fans with her combination of looks and ability, kicks off her 5-year-old campaign May 14 seeking a repeat victory in the Victoria Mile (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse.

Sodashi has seven wins from 14 starts with three of the victories coming in grade 1s. All of those were at the mile distance.

The Kurofune  mare, who gets her coloration from her dam Buchiko , also has won out to 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles). She scored at that distance in the Sapporo Kinen (G2) in August of 2021 with Loves Only You  in second. In her next start, Loves Only You won the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) at Del Mar.

She also has been tested on dirt, finishing third on a sloppy track in the 2022 February Stakes (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse. Given Japan's new-found global success on dirt, that might indicate any number of possibilities for Sodashi through the rest of the season. The Victoria Mile provides one grass option as a "Win and You're In" Challenge race for this year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, where Sodashi could earn an all-expenses paid trip to compete Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park should she have her picture taken on Sunday.

First, though, she will have to be on her toes first up in the Victoria Mile. She drew the outside gate in a field of 16 and faces some serious opposition.

Trainer Naosuke Sugai said Sodashi returned to the Ritto Training Center in good shape after wintering at the farm.

"I don't see any big changes in her physically," he said. "But I do feel she has matured mentally."

He said he was disappointed in Sodashi's third-place finish in the Mile Championship (G1) to end her 2022 season and noted the rider change from Hayato Yoshida, the only jockey to have ridden Sodashi thus far, to Damian Lane.

"Jockey Damian Lane rode her two weeks ago (in training), and he said he found her easy to ride," Sugai said. "He has been studying all her races and I do want him to ride her as he feels is right. There are a lot of top horses in the lineup, but I want her to be able to bring out her best."

Stars on Earth looms as the biggest threat. The Duramente  filly won last year's Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas, G1) and Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1). The latter was 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles). She then finished third in the Shuka Sho (G1) to end her 3-year-old campaign.

Stars on Earth has recency on her side, having finished second behind Jack d'Or in the Osaka Hai (G1) April 2 at 2,000 meters.

Christophe Lemaire, back from riding Derma Sotogake  to a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1), said Stars on Earth missed the break in the Osaka Hai and will need to improve on that.

"With it being only 1,600 meters, she's going to have to have speed early on and I'm hoping to be able to get the position I want. We lost last time because we were racing from too far back. The start will be important."

The post 2 draw will make it even more important.

Songline  also has done her best work at a mile or shorter. She finished fifth in the 2022 Victoria Mile, then won the Yasuda Kinen (G1) at the same course and distance just three weeks later. She has not raced since finishing 10th in the 1351 Turf Sprint Cup (G3) in Saudi Arabia Feb. 25, a race she won the previous year.

Stunning Rose returns to the 1,600-meter trip after two victories in 2022 going 2,000 meters, including the Shuka Sho. Namur, second in that heat, returns in search of her first grade 1 stakes score.